April 4, 2012

 

1:30 P.M.

 

ROLL CALL:   Commission President:                        Charles E. Chase

                        Commission Vice President:                Courtney Damkroger           

                        Commissioners:                                   Richard Johns

                                                                                      Karl Hasz

                                                                                      Alan W. Martinez

                                                                                      Diane Matsuda

                                                                                      Andrew Wolfram

 

A.        PUBLIC COMMENT

At this time, members of the public may address the Historic Preservation Commission on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Historic Preservation Commission except agenda items.  Public comment will be taken on each agendized item.  Each member of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes.  If it is demonstrated that comments by the public will exceed 15 minutes, the President or chairperson may continue Public Comment to another time during the meeting. 

The Brown Act forbids a commission or board from taking action or discussing any item not appearing on the posted agenda, including those items raised at public comment.  In response to public comment, not on an agendized item, the Commission is limited to:   

 (1) briefly responding to statements made or questions posed by members of the public, or

(2) requesting staff to report back on a matter at a subsequent meeting, or

(3) directing staff to place the item on a future agenda.   (Government Code Section 54954.2(a).).

 

B.        STAFF REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

1.    Review of Past Week’s Events at the Planning Commission.

 

C.        MATTERS OF THE COMMISSION

2.         President’s Report and Announcements

3.         Consideration of Adoption:

              a.        Draft minutes of the March 21, 2012 Regular Hearing

4.         Disclosures

5.         Commissioner Comments/ Questions

 

D.        CONSIDERATION OF FINDINGS AND FINAL ACTION – PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED

6.         2012.0118L                                                   (MOSES CORRETTE: 415/558-6295)

301 GEARY STREET aka 247 POWELL STREET, on the southwest corner of Geary and Powell Streets, Assessor's Block 0315, Lot 001.  Consideration to initiate Landmark designation for the Gold Dust Lounge - This item was calendared at the HPC’s request following public comment at the Commission's regularly scheduled hearing on February 1, 2012.   It is a consideration of initiation of the Gold Dust Lounge as an individual Article 10 Landmark and Departmental review of a case report/application submitted by a member of the public.

(Continued from February 15, 2012 and March 21, 2012 hearings.)

NOTE: On March 21, 2012, following public testimony, the Commission closed public hearing and the following took place:  1)  motion to continue to 4/18/12 with suggested new/different considerations failed on a tie vote of +3 -3 (commissioners Hasz, Johns, & Chase voted against); 2 motion to disapprove initiation of landmark designation failed on a tie vote of +3 -3 ( commissioners Martinez, Matsuda, & Damkroger voted against; and 3) a motion to keep the PH closed and continue the item to 4/4/12 to allow the absent commissioner the opportunity to participate in the final action of the proposal to disapprove initiation of landmark designation passed (+5 -1) Martinez voted against and Wolfram was absent.  Commissioner Wolfram, as the absent commissioner, will be allowed the opportunity to participate in the final action.

 

E.         REGULAR CALENDAR

7.         2012.0179U                                                     (RICHARD SUCRE:  415/575-9108)

527 7^TH STREET, located on the west side of 7^th Street, Assessor’s 3780, Lot 004F.  Request for Review and Comment on the nomination of the subject property to the California Register of Historical Resources. The subject property is located within the UMU (Urban Mixed Use) Zoning District, Showplace Square Special Sign District, and a 68-X Height and Bulk Limit.

Recommendation: Send resolution of findings to the Office of Historic Preservation recommending approval of the nomination of the subject property to the California Register of Historical Resources.

8a.       2011.0420A                                                     (RICHARD SUCRE:  415/575-9108)

VETERANS BUILDING, 401 VAN NESS AVENUE, located on the southwest corner of McAllister Street and Van Ness Avenue, Assessor’s 0786A, Lot 001.  Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior alterations including, but not limited to: rehabilitation/repair of the existing steel-sash windows; replacement of the roof membrane, roof panels, and mansard roof; replacement of the existing skylights; repair of terracotta architectural elements; and installation of new rooftop equipment. The subject property is Landmark No. 84 and is also a contributor to the Civic Center Historic District. It is located within a P (Public) Zoning District, the Civic Center Special Sign District, and a OS/96-X Height and Bulk Limit.

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approval with Conditions

8b.       2011.0420U                                                     (RICHARD SUCRE:  415/575-9108)

VETERANS BUILDING, 401 VAN NESS AVENUE, located on the southwest corner of McAllister Street and Van Ness Avenue, Assessor’s 0786A, Lot 001.  Request for Review and Comment, pursuant to Article 10, Appendix J, Section 8 of the Planning Code, on the interior alterations associated with the proposed project. The proposed project consists of exterior and interior alterations, including a seismic upgrade, facility modernization improvements, accessibility improvements, upgrades to the Herbst Theater, reorganization of existing offices and meeting rooms on each floor, and renovation of the fourth floor to accommodate the San Francisco Opera.  Proposed exterior work is subject to Historic Preservation Commission Review and Approval under Case No. 2011.00420A. The subject property is Landmark No. 84 and is also a contributor to the Civic Center Historic District. It is located within a P (Public) Zoning District, the Civic Center Special Sign District, and a OS/96-X Height and Bulk Limit.

Recommendation: The Historic Preservation Commission may draft comments to the San Francisco War Memorial Trust regarding the proposed project’s interior alterations.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

NOTE:  For information on the next Historic Preservation Commission Calendar, please call 558-6320 on Fridays (before the scheduled hearing) after 5:00 p.m. for a recorded message.

NOTE:  Items listed on this calendar will not be heard before the stated time.   

NOTE:  Speaker Cards will be available at all hearings.  For your convenience, they may be picked up in advance of the hearing from the Planning Department Reception Counter, 1650 Mission Street, Suite 400.

NOTE:  For information related to Historic Preservation Commission matters, please email Historic Preservation Commission Secretary, Linda.Avery@sfgov.org.

NOTE:  Pursuant to Government Code § 65009, if you challenge, in court, the approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness, Permit to Alter, Landmark or Historic District designation, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Historic Preservation Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.

NOTE:  Material submitted by the public for Historic Preservation Commission review prior to a scheduled hearing, should be received at the Planning Department Reception Counter, 1650 Mission Street, 4th Floor, no later than 5:00 p.m. the Tuesday (eight (8) days) prior to the scheduled public hearing.  Persons unable to attend a hearing may submit written comments regarding a calendared item to the Commission at the above listed address.  Comments received by 11:00 a.m. on the day of the hearing will be made part of the official record and will be brought to the attention of the Historic Preservation Commission at the public hearing.  Otherwise, submit material related to a calendared item at the scheduled hearing for distribution.  For complete distribution to all Commissioners, necessary staff and case/docket/ correspondence files, submit an original and 14 copies.

NOTE:  If any materials related to an item on this agenda have been distributed to the Historic Preservation Commission after distribution of the agenda packet, those materials are available for public inspection at the San Francisco Planning Department, 1650 Mission Street, 4^th Floor during normal office hours.

CELL PHONE AND/OR SOUND-PRODUCING ELECTRONIC DEVICE USAGE AT HEARINGS

Effective January 21, 2001, the Board of Supervisors amended the Sunshine Ordinance by adding the following provision:  The ringing of and use of cells phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting.  Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic devices (67A.1 Prohibiting the use of cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic devices at and during public meetings).

ACCESSIBLE MEETING POLICY

Hearings are held at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 400, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, CA.  The closest accessible BART Station is the Civic Center Station located at the intersection of Market, Hyde and Grove Streets.  Accessible curb side parking has been designated at points along McAllister Street.  Accessible MUNI Lines serving City Hall are the 9 San Bruno, 47 and 49 Lines and 71 Haight/Noriega and the F Line.  Accessible MUNI Metro Lines are the J, K, L, M, and N at the Van Ness Muni Station at Van Ness Avenue and Market Street.  For more information regarding MUNI accessible services, call (415) 923-6142.

Requests for American sign language interpreters, sound enhancement system and/or language translators will be available upon request by contacting Lulu Hwang at (415) 558-6318, at least 48 hours prior to a hearing.  A sound enhancement system will be available upon request at the meetings.  Please contact Services for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired at 557-4433 (TDD) or 557-4434 (Voice) at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Late requests will be honored if possible.  A person who is deaf or hearing impaired may gain meeting information prior to the meeting by calling 557-4433 (TDD) or 557-4434 (Voice).  In addition, the California Relay Service can be used by individuals with hearing and speech impairments by calling 1-800-735-2929 (TDD) or 1-800-735-2922 (Voice).  Minutes of the meetings are available in alternative formats. If you require the use of a reader during the meeting, please contact the Library for the Blind and Print Handicapped at 292-2022 at least 48 hours in advance of need.  Accessible seating for persons with disabilities (including those using wheelchairs) will be available at meetings.

Individuals with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities should call our accessibility hotline at (415) 554-8925 to discuss meeting accessibility.  In order to assist the City’s efforts to accommodate such people, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical-based products.  Please help the City to accommodate these individuals.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE SUNSHINE ORDINANCE

Government's duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public.  Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people's business.  This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people's review.  For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact Adele Destro by mail to Administrator, Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place, Room 244, San Francisco, CA 94102-4689; by phone (415) 554-7724; by fax at (415) 554-7854; or by e-mail at sotf@sfgov.org.  Citizens interested in obtaining a copy of the Sunshine Ordinance can be request a copy from Ms. Destro or by printing Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code on the Internet, http://www.sfgov.org/sunshine/

SAN FRANCISCO LOBBYIST ORDINANCE

Attention:  Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code §2.100] to register and report lobbying activity.  For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the Ethics Commission at 30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 3900, San Francisco, CA 94102, telephone (415) 581-8300, fax (415) 581-2317; web site http://www.sfgov.org/ethics/.

COMMUNICATIONS

Note: Each item on the Architectural Design Review and/or Regular calendar may include the following documents:

1) Planning Department Case Report

2) Draft Motion with Findings and/or Conditions

These items will be available for review at the Planning Department, 1650 Mission Street, 4th Floor Reception.